Ship control



April 20, 1943. H. w. BRIOLUS SHIP CONTROL Filed Jan. 28, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet l l/VVE/VTOR:

Api-il 20, 1943.

H. W. BROLUS SHIP CONTROL Filed Jan. 28, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Henry (B/Qua.

Patented Apr. 20, 1943 SHIPv CONTROL Henry W. Brolus, Detroit, Mich, assignor of forty per cent to Robert G; Kitchen, Grosse Pointe Park, Mich.

Application January 28, 1941, Serial No. 376,320

6 Claims. (Cl.11512) This invention relates to means for effecting and controlling the movement of vessels, more particularly those of large size wherein difficulty is usually experienced in confining maneuvers resultant motion of the vessel; and also pro-,

vides for selective control of a number of such jets as dictated by the maneuvers to be effected.

Still further objects and advantages subsidiary to the aforesaid objectsyor resulting from the invention as it-may be carried into effect, will.

become apparent as the said invention is hereinafter further disclosed.

In carrying the said invention into effect, I may employ the novel construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described, by way of example, having reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a schematic vertical view, partly in section, illustrating the general elements of the ship control mechanism;

Figure 2 is a detail vertical elevation of one of the main valve assemblies;

Figure 3 is a bow end elevation of the hull of a ship illustrating the disposition of the laterally disposed bow air valves;

Figure 4 is a detail view of one of the valve operating mechanisms;

Figure 5 is a longitudinal section of one of the air compressor cylinders;

Figure 6 is a similar view to Figure 3, but of the stern of the hull;

Figure '7 is a view of the compressor operating cam disc, taken on the line 'l'l, of Figure 1; and

Figure 8, a horizontal section of one of the laterally disposed air valves.

Similar characters of reference indicate similar parts in the several figures of the drawings.

l indicates the hull of a vessel which has a pipe 2 extending throughout the length thereof and terminating in fore and aft jets or nozzles 3 and 5 opening below the waterline at the bow and stern, respectively, of the ship.

These jets 3 and 4 are provided with shut-off valves 5 and 6 of any suitable construction, but shown in the drawings for the sake of simplicity as being conical plug valves held seated by compression springs 8 and operated by lever arms 9.

At the stern of the ship, but ahead of the Valve 6, the pipe 2 is provided with lateral branches [0 and H terminating in jets or nozzles l2 and [3 which open, respectively, from the port and starboard sides of the hull, also beneath the waterline, and are provided with shutoff valves l4 and I5.

Similarly, at the bow of the ship, but aft of the valve 5, the said pipe 2 is provided with lateral branches I6 and I1 terminating in jets or nozzles 18 and [8 which also open, respectively, from the port and starboard sides of the hull, beneath the waterline and are provided with shut-off valves 20 and 2|.

Any of the well known means for operating the aforementioned valves independentlyof each other, so that one or more of them may be selected for operation according to requirements, may be used, and Figure 4 simply shows a worm 22 and worm wheel 23 coupled to a link 24 for such purpose. It will be understood that each valve mentioned is preferably provided with separate means for its individual operation, although the operating means for all of the valves may be centralized as to location for convenient selective operation.

25, 26, 21 and 28 are air pump cylinders'each having inlets 29 and outlets 3B suitably checkvalved, the outlets being connected by pipes 3| with an air receiver 32 which communicates through the pipe 33 with the first mentioned longitudinal pipe tube of the system. 33 represents a pressure gage and safety valve surmounting the chamber 32 and provided with a pressure indicator 34, all of which may be of any suitable type as may be desired.

The piston rods 35 and 36 of the air pumps are coupled to a cam disc 31 of a configuration suitable to provide reciprocation of the said rods when the shaft 38, on which the disc is mounted, is rotated.

To effect rotation of this shaft through two materially different speed ranges, it is provided with an internally and externally toothed gear 39 with which a driving gear 40 or a driving pinion 4! may be engaged, as desired, by the operation of a shift lever 42, as will be obvious from the drawings. shaft having a gear meshing with gears 45' and 46 through which the shafts of the pinion M and the gear 40 slidably pass to permit the shifting of the said pinion 4| and gear 40.

Forward motion of the hull may be secured by 43 indicates the main bow' opening the valve 6, and motion astern by opening the valve 5. It will be readily seen that by opening any one of the valves 14, I5, 20 or 2| a side thrust may be given to the bow or stern of the hull thereby swinging it around, and that by opening the valves l5 and 2| or I4 and 20 a highly accentuated turning motion may be secured in one or other direction.

I may also provide the lateral jets or nozzles with adjustable deflectors 41 which may be moved angularly into the path of the air stream issuing from the lateral jets to deflect such stream forwardly or rearwardly of the hull whereby they may be caused, if desired, to supplement the forward or rearward impelling action of the jets 3 minimum of moving parts or mechanisms to effect a high maneuverability of the hull, and by the proper selection of jets the hull be caused to turn within a minimum area, even to the extent, Where the hull is initially at rest, to effecting its rotation about a more or less central point intermediate of the length of the hull.

This invention may be developed within the scope of the following claims without departing from the essential features of the said invention, and it is desired that the specification and drawings be read as being merely illustrative.

What I claim is:

I. In combination with the hull of a ship, a source of compressed air, valved jets for selectively directing jets of air laterally to one or other side of the stern of the hull below the waterline, and adjustable deflector means moveable into the path of the lateral jets for deflecting the jets of air toward one end of the hull when desired.

2. In combination with the hull of a. ship, a source of compressed air, valvedrjets for selectively directing jets of air laterally to one or other side of the bow of the hull below the waterline, and adjustable deflector means moveable into the path of the lateral jets for deflecting the jets of air toward one end of the hull when desired.

3. In combination with the hull of a ship, a source of compressed air, valved jets for selectively directing jets of air laterally to one or other side of the stern of the hull below the waterline, further valved jets for selectively directing air laterally to one or other side of the bow of the hull, and adjustable deflector means moveable into the path of the lateral jets for deflecting the jets of air towards one end of the hull when desired.

4. In combination with the hull of a ship, a source of compressed air, valved jets for directing compressed air beneath the waterline lengthwise of the hull, valved jets for similarly directing jets of air laterally to one or other side of the stern of the hull below the waterline, and adjustable deflector means moveable into the path of the lateral jets for deflecting the lateral jets of air towards one end of the hull when desired.

5. In combination with thehull of a ship, a source of compressed air, valved jets for directing compressed air beneath the waterline lengthwise of the hull, and valved jets forsimilarly directing jets of air laterally to one or other side of the bow of the hull below the waterline, and adjustable deflector means moveable into the path of the lateral jets for deflecting the lateral jets of air towards one end of the hull when desired.

6. In combination with the hull of a ship, a source of compressed air, valved jets for directing compressed air beneath the waterline lengthwi of the hull, valved jets for similarly directing-jets of air laterally of one or other side of the stern of the hull, and further valved jets for similarly directing airlaterally of-the -bo'w of the hull below the waterline, and adjustable deflector means moveable into the path of the lateral jets for deflecting the lateral jets of air towards one end of the hull whendesired.

HENRY W. BROLU'S. 

